Posted on 4/16/2008 7:27:55 PM

MLB Baseball Betting - Florida at Houston

By Charles Jay

BetUS MLB baseball betting odds: Houston -190, Florida +160, Total 8.5

The Florida Marlins (6-3) take a three-game winning streak into Minute Maid Park (natural turf) tonight, as they face off against the Houston Astros (3-7) in National League action that is set to begin at 8:05 PM ET.

Ricky Nolasco gets his first action of the year for the Marlins. he'll go up against fellow right-hander Roy Oswalt (0-2, 6.00 ERA), who's been off to a tough start for the Astros.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Houston is listed as a -190 favorite (Florida is +160), with a total of 8.5 runs.

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

(NOTE: These trends may also revert back to the 2007 season)

* FLA has won five of its last six games

* FLA has played four of its last five games OVER the total

* FLA has won five of its last six road games

* FLA has played nine of its last 13 road games OVER the total

* HOU has lost four of its last five games

* HOU has played 11 of its last 14 games UNDER the total

* HOU has played six of its last seven home games UNDER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* HOU has won six of the last seven meetings as the home team

* Five of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total

* Twelve of the last 16 meetings in Houston have gone UNDER the total

Roy Oswalt has gone 112-58 in his career, but he's gotten off to a very tough start this year. Oswalt has given up eight earned runs and 21 hits in 12 innings, and didn't have a strikeout in 6-2/3 innings last time out against the Cubs. Can he get his act together at home?

Well, if recent performances against this opponent are any indication, the answer is "yes." Oswalt gave up two runs and 14 base runners in 12-1/3 innings against the Marlins last season, and over his last five starts against Florida he has yielded just five earned runs for a 1.31 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP ratio. The Marlins have won three straight games, all against the struggling Nationals, but they are striking out at a higher rate than any team in the NL right now (8.4 per game).

Assuming Oswalt, one of the game's best right-handers, can get back on track at some point, and that this may be the time to do it, we would think the Astros won't need much more than what they've been producing thus far (3.7 runs and 7.3 hits a game) to come away with a win. For our purposes, that spells U-N-D-E-R. So we go below 8.5 runs, as is posted in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: UNDER 8.5

Go to the BetUS sportsbook today and take a swing at Major League Baseball online betting. We have the most current baseball odds and lines, as well as player, game and series props throughout the MLB baseball season. To help you bet on sports, check out the Free Picks section of the Locker Room for sports betting free picks and predictions. Join BetUS to experience the best in online sports betting action!

(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)